About the Session

The Special MENA Session on Regional Learning Experiences was organised on 5 May 2009 back-to-back with the Global Forum on Public Governance.  

The Special Session continued the discussions started at the Global Forum with a focus on regional policy dialogue and mutual learning in the framework of Joint Learning Studies.

The meeting allowed for exchange of regional challenges and experiences in the field of integrity and corruption prevention between participants from the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries.

The meeting gathered together participants from nine MENA countries, namely Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian National Authority, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen.

The OECD countries were represented by France, the host country, and Spain and Turkey, the Co-Chairs of the Working Group of the OECD-MENA Governance Programme on Civil Service and Integrity.

The African Development Bank also participated in the Special Session.

Objectives

The objectives of the meeting were closely related to the Joint Learning Studies and related integrity activities scheduled for 2009-2010 within the OECD-MENA Governance Programme.

The Special Session opened a forum for MENA countries to:

• Express, confirm and update their thematic priorities and areas of interest in corruption prevention and public sector integrity for 2009-2010;
• Express their interest in organising and hosting future activities, including JLSs, but also workshops, seminars and regional conferences in specific integrity-related areas;
• Learn from each other through exchange and discussions on recent developments in their countries related to fighting corruption and promoting integrity;
• Be updated on the 3rd MENA Ministerial Meeting that will be hosted by the Government of Morocco in November 2009.

The Special Session provided an opportunity to learn from the experience of the countries who have already undergone Joint Learning Studies - Morocco, Yemen and Jordan - or those who have organised and hosted other joint learning activities.

The delegates continued the open and frank policy dialogue initiated in past meetings and identified common regional trends in their country-specific efforts to promote integrity.

Main Outcomes

Directions for future work

• The Special Session participants confirmed their interest on the further directions of work which will include MENA Joint Learning Studies and related seminars, workshops and regional conferences  on the one hand, and a preparation of a comparative chapter on integrity and corruption-prevention trends in the MENA region on the other hand.
• The participants agreed that the JLS concept and methodology were well adapted to create and disseminate knowledge and evaluate progress in corruption prevention measures and reforms. The participants recognised that the Joint Learning Studies support the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption which is considered the basis of anti-corruption work in the region.

Forthcoming events

• The 3rd MENA Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for 23 November 2009 in Marrakech, Morocco.
• The next MENA expert-level Regional Conference on integrity and corruption prevention will be jointly organised by the Prime Ministry and the Ethics Council of Turkey and the OECD in Turkey, and is scheduled to end October 2009.

Identification of common integrity trends in MENA countries

• The information gathered during the Special Session will provide input to prepare a comparative chapter on recent national developments related to integrity in the MENA region. This comparative chapter will be included in the forthcoming OECD progress report on Modernisation of Public Management in Arab Countries.

Structure and methodology

The Special Session was organized in two parts.

Session I: Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Joint Learning Studies

The first part explored through specific country experiences lessons learned from the implementation of Joint Learning Studies.

Participants discussed the costs and benefits of JLS methodology and how it helps to advance national modernisation reforms.

On behalf of Morocco, Mr. Monkid Mestassi, Secretary General, Ministry of Economic and General Affairs, Morocco, officially opened the Special MENA Session and chaired the first part of the Special Session.

Presentations

• Mr. Monther Al-Batayneh, Counselor, Ministry of Public Sector Development of Jordan, 'Implementation of Code of Conduct and Ethics' (PDF 57kb)
• Mr. Yehya Mohamed Ali Al Ashwal, Chairman of the Technical Committee, the High Tender Board of Yemen, 'Towards Yemen Sustainable Procurement Reforms' (PDF 4.2mb)

Session II: Latest National Developments related to Integrity

The second part  provided an opportunity for a roundtable discussions where MENA delegates shared recent integrity-related developments in their respective countries.

This session was chaired by Mr. Luis Tejada Chacon, Deputy Permanent Representative from the Delegation of Spain to the OECD.